Late counter spoils Tartan Devils Open Cup return

Pittsburgh amateur club Tartan Devils Oak Avalon’s hopes for another Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run into the proper tournament were dashed in a moment’s notice on Sunday at Rooney Field, as Rochester River Dogz’ Austin Gerber scored on a counter in the 89th minute, lifting the visitors from Western New York to a 2-1 qualifying round win.

“Pretty disappointing outcome,” Andy Kalas,Tartan Devils player/coach, said after the match. “I thought we had one there, right on the goal line, it was tough to swallow.”

The Tartan Devils appeared to be on the brink of getting the game-winner as handful of players from both sides converged the ball as it was laying in the goal box after a corner kick. Rochester’s keeper William Banahene made a save, and quickly punted the ball out of the goal area for Dominic Francis, who broke into open space to make a run across the field and into the box, where he laid off a ball to his right for Gerber.

Gerber’s clinical finish sealed the win for the River Dogz.

“It was a great counter,” Mark Mandel, Rochester’s coach, said. “We got a stop in goal, and on the counter-attack, we were able to put it in. It was a tough match for us, playing in the heat, so when you travel this far, it’s tough to get enough guys to train, and make the trip

In an evenly played match on a rare, late-September day with temperatures reaching the high 80’s, both teams took turns exchanging chances, while the Tartan Devils controlled possession for long stretches, and appeared to be the stronger team heading into the end of the first half.

In the 43rd minute, Rochester took advantage of a corner kick opportunity for the game’s first goal.

Francis earned his first assist by sending a bending corner kick into the center of a very crowded box, with Anthony Rozzano winning the battle for the ball amidst the bedlam inside the six yard area, beating Tartan Devils’ goalkeeper Zach Varga for the go-ahead goal.

“Somehow, Anthony did a nice job to get to it in what was a scrum, and got it high enough past the keeper,” Mandel said. “We were getting outplayed to that point, so it was a big goal for us.”

The Tartan Devils continued to press forward into the second half.

On its fifth corner kick of the afternoon, one-time Pittsburgh Riverhounds midfielder and Marshall University/Keystone Oaks/Seton LaSalle standout, Anthony Virgara‘s ball in to the near side area connected with David Braun (Thomas Jefferson/Robert Morris) to level the score at 1-1.

“They’re a sound team,” Mandel added about the Tartan Devils. “Obviously, they’re a bit older, and they’ve been doing it for years. They’re former D I players, from Pitt, Robert Morris, Duquesne, and what not, and it was a good battle.”

As the game entered the later stages of the second half, both teams had some quality chances, but also, each were picking its spots to press forward.

“It looked like tired legs there on both sides,” Kalas acknowledged. “We were both knocking it around for a while, and we created a couple chances, but we couldn’t put another one away.”

Despite ending up on the losing end of the result, Kalas and his teammates cherish the chance to play in these Open Cup games, as the Tartan Devils continue to earn their way into the tournament, as they’ve remained a top-notch team in the Greater Pittsburgh Soccer League. Earlier this year, the Tartan Devils entered the Open Cup proper tournament, advancing to the second round after winning a penalty kick shootout against Derby City Rovers, before losing at home to Louisville City FC.

“It means one more opportunity to play another meaningful game,” Kalas, former Norwin standout who played at Pitt from 2007-2010. “A lot of us were competitive college players, and it gives us another chance for competitive opportunities. So, it’s a chance for that, and to play on behalf of Pittsburgh, and our local club.”

The River Dogz, who compete in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), in U.S. Soccer’s fourth division, have to scramble during the Fall season to field a roster, and brought only 13 players, with one being the back-up goalkeeper.

“Hopefully next rounds, we’ll get a home game, so we can get more guys to come out,” Mandel said. “But we’re pretty satisfied with the result today, it wasn’t easy, but it’s nice to come out on top. We’re looking forward to the next round.”